…because I can’t stand to see food being used as decor and I cringe at the idea that the carved pumpkin will probably get thrown away at the end of the “carving/decor season”.
It is absolutely NOT my intention to be offensive towards ANYONE’S culture or family traditions.
Perhaps my feelings are based on my particular context.
I live on the African continent where famine and poverty are rife.
I live surrounded by very poor people who would literally KILL for that pumpkin – it’s one of the reasons why there is so much crime where I stay. Poverty and hunger can make people lose perspective and no, it’s DEFINITELY NOT OK but I get it.
In my home, every single morsel of food is carefully budgeted and accounted for. Wasting food is absolutely NOT negotiable and in fact, I come from a home where wasting food was as sinful as gluttony. Fact is, I do know what it’s like to wonder where your next meal will come from – trust me, I do NOT wish that on my worst enemy.
When I see the carved pumpkin being displayed for the purposes of decor, then I think of the man who comes to my door every single Thursday without fail. He comes to collect chicken skins and carcasses that I would normally throw away. He asked me to keep it for him and I freeze it so it’s ready for him. Did you know that it’s a meal for him? Can you even imagine a meal of consisting of only chicken skin and bones?
When I see the carved pumpkin being displayed for the purposes of decor, then I think of my MIL’s neighbour who uses soup bones in her stews because she can’t afford a small packet of chicken or beef pieces.
When I see the carved pumpkin being displayed for the purposes of decor, then I think of my MIL’s other neighbour who had to use her last money for ONE loaf of bread for her family. That was their dinner. Dry bread. They had NOTHING to put on the bread – peanut butter is over R20 these days. Can you even begin to imagine that? Dry bread for dinner?
When I see the carved pumpkin being displayed for the purposes of decor then I get REALLY angry.
Because really, how is it that with famine and poverty and economic meltdowns and struggle, some countries can still do this while others buckle under poverty? Is this a sign of the times? Will there always be this big divide? Haves vs Have nots? Famine vs Fortune?
I really cannot stand to see good food wasted – it is one of my pet peeves. I want to have a heart attack when I see people in my work place throwing away perfectly good food because they are no longer in the mood for it, instead of just giving it to someone. Every single day I run into AT LEAST 4 people at traffic intersections who would LOVE something to eat.
According to google, those pumpkins get thrown away because apparently it’s not good to eat a carved pumpkin after 24 hours. Some folks are sensible and use it to compost. I can live with this. Recycling is better than wasting.
But knowing that perfectly good food gets used for decor and then gets thrown away? I cannot stand the thought.
Am I reading too much into this? Are you big on pumpkin carving? What are your thoughts about food being used for decor and then being thrown away once the purpose has been served?
I understand what you are saying. When i was working (in schools, nurseries) there was a trend at the time to use food (dried pulses,pasta etc) as collage material and make pictures from it. Even though the food was ‘out of date’ (was dried???) I found it very disrespectful. Even though I was living in a country that had plenty I wondered how it would be for someone coming in who had experienced hunger to see that on the walls. Totally shocking i imagine.
Thank you for sharing that Julia, xx
I must be honest, it doesn’t bug me at all…the pumpkins are grown specifically for decorating, just like living christmas trees instead of the plastic ones we use. I have a plastic tree and I don’t use pumpkins for decor, but it doesn’t annoy me when other people do something else. As far as I know it’s supposed to represent the bounty of harvest time or something along those lines? It’s a celebration of pumpkins if you will. The guys that I don’t like are the ones who dump truck loads of apples in a river somewhere in Europe.
We can also just as easily grow pumpkins here, and eat them, can’t we? There is plenty of unallocated spaces that could easily be used for a community veggie garden. Now that’s something I’d like to see more of everywhere.
Julia – I hear you and I know what you are saying. I n our home no food gets wasted – between us, Lucy and the dogs we really try to waste as little as possible
I never looked at a halloween pumpkin and thought it was a waste of food but now after this post, I don’t think I’m ever going to look at one without thinking about it. What you say is true. So true. And so sad
I hear you loud and clear but i reckon that if you’ve been brought up with those traditions you find it diffucult to vear from them?
As far as I’m concerned Halloween is a complete waste of time – i don’t even give it a second thought (much to my children’s disdain!).
Oh definitely! I am by no means suggesting that people STOP RIGHT NOW. Merely that sometimes we need to think about why we do things and see the bigger picture.
I have never thought about it like this… I guess I niavely assumed that the pumpkin inners were actually used for food and just the shell was used for decor?
According to google, it’s dangerous to eat a carved pumpkin after 24 hours – though I am pretty sure that there are some folks who do eat it. I know that many people roast the pumpkin seeds. But basically, the flesh remains intact as it’s part of the carving.
Hmmmm. In light of this, I feel pretty much like you do. That it is a total waste! I cannot handle food wastage.
xx
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:38:48 +0200 Subject: Re: [Unwritten] Comment: “Those carved pumpkins make me twitch a little. Actually, a lot.” From: julia.webber@gmail.com To: comment+eibfldxnz7h836cx88o04gn_lb@comment.wordpress.com; se-ri-ous_sam@hotmail.com
According to google, it’s dangerous to eat a carved pumpkin after 24 hours – though I am pretty sure that there are some folks who do eat it. I know that many people roast the pumpkin seeds. But basically, the flesh remains intact as it’s part of the carving.
I actually think a lot of people do use the inners (and pumpkin seeds) but yes there is an inch or so of edible pumpkin. Was that what you meant or were you talking about the non-Halloween but “fall” decor with the pumpkins as is?
I have huge issues with wasting any food though – there is more food wastage in SA’n middle class though than the odd pumpkin at Halloween. See people sending back half their plates of food instead of taking and giving to the homeless guy on the corner. Laziness is what it is.
So I promised Marleen and I better do it – look out for my Halloween post on the weekend! I may have 2 readers after that but so be it
Quite honestly…I don’t see what the big thing is about anyway! What exactly are being celebrated with Halloween? Evil? I honestly don’t understand why South African’s HAVE to follow everything that comes out of the US.
We can’t be bothered with Halloween ourselves, though we may attend a dress up party every other year.
And I do hear where you’re coming from.